Submarine Museum

Submarine Museum

HMS Alliance at Gosport

Alliance Photos

Please click attached document which illustrates how the appearance of has changed externally now that her restoration is completeHM S/M Alliance PDF Link

Royal Navy Submarine Museum - Listings and What’s On!

Torchlight Twilight Tours

Tuesday 25th October 2016 6:00pm to 9:00pm

At Royal Navy Submarine Museum Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Guides! Grab your torch this half term and see the museum and submarines HMS Holland I and X-24 in a new light! Also there will be the chance to peek through our periscopes to get a night time view of Portsmouth harbour.

Tours for Scouting and Guiding Groups taking place on the 25th October. The 7pm tour is now fully booked but spaces are still available for the 6pm and 8pm tours. Maximum number of 30 people per tour.

£4.80 per person

Spaces must be booked by or calling 02392727587

Midget Submarine takes the high road to Scotland

37 ton submarine embarks on 500 mile journey

It will take centre stage at Scottish Submarine Heritage Centre

Cold War midget submarine HMS Sticklebackis on its way to a new home following its loan from The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) in Portsmouth to the Scottish Submarine Trust.

The tricky manoeuvre to load the 37 ton Stickleback submarine took most of the day before it embarked on a 500 mile journey to Helensburgh. It will take centre stage at the Scottish Submarine Heritage Centre, a new visitor attraction on Scotland’s west coast.

Sticklebackentered service in 1953. With a four-man crew, this diesel electric submarine was very similar to those that operated from Scotland during the Second World War. On hand to guide operations was NMRN’s Head of Collections. Bob Mealings. who explained: ““We are really excited about this fascinating submarine going on permanent display in Helensburgh. The partnership with the new Submarine Trust means that NMRN will for the first time be able to display a major item from its collections in a part of Scotland with important historical links to the Royal Navy.”

Brian Keating, Chairman of The Scottish Submarine Trust welcomed the submarine’s arrival: “"We are delighted that after 3 years of work by volunteers here in Helensburgh, we have secured this X craft to present to the public as part of our new submarine centre in Scotland." He added "As the main exhibit at the centre we hope Helensburgh will be 'Stickleback's' home for the next 100 years.”

The West of Scotland has a long association with the Royal Navy Submarine Service. During the Second World War this area was the centre for midget submarine operations. The Faslane nuclear submarine base, established in the 1960s, is very close to Helensburgh; many RN personnel have over the decades lived in the town. The Scottish Submarine Trust project has therefore been enthusiastically supported by the Faslane Naval Base from the outset. Below picture of HMS Stickleback underway at Porstmouth in 1954

It has taken the new trust three years of hard work to find a suitable display building, raise the necessary funding and develop their approach to interpretation and conservation.

Submarines at Jutland

View From The Periscope It is well documented that submarines were “the dog that didn’t bark” at Jutland. Both the British and Germans were wary of them but during the battle there was no tactical advantage to using them. When researching the 36 Hours exhibition, Head of Heritage Development Nick Hewitt found the following transcript from an anonymous Submariner who wrote: ‘We knew nothing of Jutland until our return to harbour. When the torpedo lieutenant of the depot ship greeted us with the news and asked how many ships we had got, we thought he was pulling our legs!’

The Germans did have U-boats deployed to catch the British as they emerged from their bases during the battle but didn’t engage with any ships. A week later, a mine laid by one of them sank HMS Hampshire, a Jutland veteran ship which was carrying Lord Kitchener to Russia. Kitchener was presumed drowned as his body was never recovered. A porthole and some shell cases from the submarine will go on display in the maritime archaeology section in the gallery.

About our Association

The Submariners Association is an Association of ex and serving Submariners which seeks to maintain the special bonds of friendship, loyalty and comradeship, together with a pride in the Submarine Service, formed during service in Her Majesty's Submarines.

Recent Updates

Please check the Obituary & Funeral pages for Comrades of the Association who have sadly 'Crossed the Bar'.